Look Through the Darkness
by Laird94
Summary: Bella Swan was a junior in college when she was involved in a tragic accident and is now living with a life altering disability. Enter Edward, an ex-soldier, who is suffering from a tragedy of his own. Can they help each other heal or will their tragedies consume them?
1. Prologue

**A/N: Hi guys and welcome to my new fic. Hope you all enjoy. Reviews are always appreciated so please drop me a line, telling me what you think.**

 **SM owns all things relating to Twilight.**

Prologue

The first thing my father did when I passed my driver's test – aside from helping me buy my first car – was to give me a specific set of rules. Rules that I had to follow no matter what.

Number one: I was never to drive without wearing my seatbelt (okay, so some of these were actually laws).

Number two: I was never to drive when I was upset.

Number three: I was never to drive in bad weather.

And finally, number four: Never go faster than the speed limit.

Now in my house, my father's words were sacred and always abided by. While I was growing up, my dad was my hero and to be honest, it never even crossed my mind to break his rules. Why would it? My dad was a cop and who knew more about road safety than a cop?

You can see then why it would come as such a surprise to find me on a dark road, in the middle of the night, speeding my way home in the pouring rain. Oh and did I also mention that I was crying… and not wearing my seatbelt.

I should also point out that this was the first time that I ever broke one of my dad's rules. I'm not even kidding. Literally, the first time.

The radio was blasting some song about a teen girl who'd just had her heart broken and I remember screaming in outrage that someone was whining about a stupid breakup when I'd just had my life ruined.

I wiped some of my tears away with one hand and then reached down to switch off the screeching coming from the speakers. I then looked up and see a small fawn stepping out from between the trees, lining the side of the road, and straight into the path of my car.

I slammed on the brakes but I must have hit a puddle of water because my car started skidding. I tried to grab the wheel and steer into the skid but the car was out of control and began spinning. The last thing I remember from that night was crashing into the roadside barrier. And then… Nothing.

 **A/N: Thanks for reading :]**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: SM owns all things relating to Twilight**

Chapter 1

"Bella, can you hear me?"

"Yes, mother. "I snarked. "I'm not deaf remember?"

I heard her intake of breath and I just knew she was going to start with the crying again.

"Mom," I said, reaching over to grasp her hand. "I'm sorry. I'm just having a bad day."

She tightened her grip on my hand and I had to fight the urge not to flinch as her long manicured nails accidently dug into my flesh. Today was Thursday and like every Thursday for as long as I could remember she would start her morning with a visit to the salon.

"Did Irina give you the good news?" Mom asked.

I nodded. "Yup, I'll be going home on Monday." I tried not to let the despair show in my voice. I did not feel ready to go home and I had no idea how I was going to cope. "I'm not quite sure how I'm going to manage though."

"Don't be silly sweetheart," She chuckled. "You'll be coming home with us. Really, Bella. Did you think we were going to let you go live by yourself?"

I blew out a breath. "Mom, I really don't think…"

"Let's not talk about this now, honey, there's plenty of time to sort everything out."

Except there's not. I was suddenly exhausted. I know my mom meant well but she could really wear me out sometimes. I guess it was due to the fact that she spent all her time with me now. Before I was lucky if I saw her once every couple weeks – she was always busy with her hobbies and her friends. I guess that's normal though. When your daughter grows up and moves out you have to find things to occupy your time.

"Mom, I'm really tired," I told her with a yawn. "Would it be okay if I had a nap?"

"Of course, sweetie," I heard her rustling around. Probably gathering everything she's strewn across the room in the hour that's she's been here. "Do you need some help getting back into bed?"

"No it's alright. I'll manage."

She placed her hand on my shoulder and kissed the top of my head. "I'll come back later with your dad, okay?"

"Okay," I sniffed. "I love you."

"Love you to, sweetheart. Bye."

I wait until there is complete silence in the room before letting out a deep breath. I tried to choke back a sob as I wiped the tears from my face. I didn't know how much longer I could do this. The doctors all seemed to think that I should have been fully healed by now but it had yet to happen. Two months after the accident and I was still stuck in this hospital room – bored out of my mind, day after day.

I close my eyes and focus on the noises coming from outside my room, trying to calm myself down.

 _Just breathe, Bella. In and out._

I can hear laughter coming from the room next to mine and the sound of random buzzers going off in the corridor. The noises are a little louder than their usual dull sound, so I take a wild guess that my mom has left my hospital room door open… Again.

I do think about getting up and closing it but I decide to leave it open. It's nice to hear familiar sounds. It keeps me company without me actually having to participate in social interactions.

I must have dozed off because the next thing I knew a hand was shaking my shoulders.

"Hey, Bella." The voice said. It was a soft voice but still hard at the same time. The type of voice that you knew had the face of an angel with a temper of a devil. "Wake up, lazy bones."

"Shut up," I moaned. "I'm sleeping."

"Well go to bed then. You're not doing your neck any favours sleeping in an arm chair."

"What time is it?" I asked, rubbing my eyes. I reached over to the small table beside my chair and picked up my glasses.

"Twelve. Are you famous? Wearing your shades inside." Irina joked.

"Ha, you're so funny." I snorted. To be honest it was nice to have someone to joke with. Anytime I brought the subject up with mom and dad, they both got upset. "What's on the agenda for today?"

"Well, first I thought we could take the jet to New York and hit a few stores and then…"

"Can we cut the bullshit today? I'm really not in the mood."

"Fine. Have it your way," Irina took my hand and helped me stand up. "We're going to the gym today."

"Why? It's not like I can do much."

"Well tough luck." She tucked my arm through her own. "Besides it's not like you're going there to work out."

"Yeah, cause, what else do you do in a gym?"

"Some inspiration meeting or something. The doctors think it's a good idea you go. You know, because you're all depressed and shit." We started walking forward, towards the door.

I snorted. "Did anyone ever tell you that you're a great nurse? Real friendly."

"You think I'm this nice to all my patients?" We were out in the corridor now. I'd only been outside the room without my wheelchair a couple times and it still made me nervous. I clutched Irina's arm tighter and shrank into her as a particularly loud person passed us.

"Do I really have to go?" I whispered.

"Look, Bells, I know it's not gonna be fun but this new guys is supposed to be really good."

"What happened to Mike?" Mike Newton had been the last counsellor that the doctors made me meet with. He had been a nice enough guy but it was so obvious that he hadn't had a clue how to actually help me. The problems he mostly dealt with were old people who could no longer mobilise by themselves and needed some help learning how to use their new aids.

"I'm not quite sure. Turn right here," I did what she said and felt the cool breeze of the air conditioning from inside the gym. "Mike's still here but he's doing something else now."

"Can I sit down, now? I'm kinda tired." Walking any amount of distance still kind of drained me. The doctor said it was because my lungs weren't at their strongest right now. I guess that's what happens when you've been put on a respirator – your lungs get lazy.

"Listen, you only have to stay at this thing for half an hour."

I nodded "Are you staying?"

"Sorry, I can't. I have some antibiotics to make up but I'll come back and get you okay?" She squeezed my shoulder "I'll see you in a bit."

"Bye," I mumbled. I don't know what it was with people squeezing my shoulder now. I wouldn't be surprised if I had bruises.

"There's a couple other people here," She whispered in my ear. "An old man to your left and another guy to the right. The chair's right in front of you,"

"Thanks," I whispered back, blushing. I was so ready for her to leave now. I like Irina and we'd always gotten along well when we were in high school but I was starting to resent how much I relied on her now. "I'll see you later."

Another squeeze. _Jesus Christ!_

My hands grasped for the chair and I slowly circled it to sit down. I knew that there were people around me thanks to Irina but I couldn't hear anything but my own breathing right now. It was making me nervous. My leg began to bounce the longer the silence went on. Why wasn't anyone saying anything?

I hate this. I hated being so out of control. How do people function like this? Never knowing exactly what's going on around you, who's around you? I can't live like this. I can't do this. I can't-

"Hey, you okay?" A voice cut in from my right, interrupting my internal ranting. "Hey it's alright. I hate these things too."

"I'm fine," I muttered. Turning my head in his direction. He had a nice voice. Soft, smooth, like velvet. I nervously touched my glasses, conscious of what he might be thinking about me. Could he tell?

"I haven't seen you around before. Are you new?" The guy on the right asked.

"No. I've been here for a few weeks." I mumbled. I'd never really talked to guys before my accident and now it was just plain awkward. I couldn't really tell what was going on. Was he actually listening to me or did he have his head turned away, eyes sweeping the room, trying to find a way to escape from talking to the blind girl.

"Me too," he replied. "I'm Edward."

"Bella."

I tried to think of something else to say but nothing came to mind. As I said before, I'd never really talked to boys before. Actually I didn't even know if he was a boy. All Irina had said was that there a guy to my right. He might be older than me… Or younger. How the hell would I know?

"Alright, guys," Another voice piped up. This voice was louder and echoed all around the room. "Let's begin."

 **A/N: Thanks for reading :]**


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I woke up from the accident exactly three weeks after it happened. I thought at first after I opened my eyes that the room was just dark. I could hear a steady beeping next to me that started chiming out faster and faster.

"Dad," I had called out in a panic. I didn't know where I was and the last thing I remembered was seeing the deer walking out in front of my car. "Hello?"

"Bella!" My mom cried out. "Oh, baby, we were so worried. Charlie! Go get the nurse."

I could feel her touching my face and kissing my forehead. Realising that the room wasn't dark, I reached up to take whatever was covering my eyes off.

"Renee, just give her a minute." My dad said. I felt a rough calloused hand grasp mine. "How do you feel, Bells?"

"What's on my face?" I croaked. My voice was hoarse and I felt like I hadn't had a drink of water in months. "Get it off!" I tried to remove whatever was on my eyes off but when my fingers landed on my face there was nothing there.

"Bella, stop you're going to hurt yourself!" My mom said, trying to take my hand in hers. "Please, just calm down, sweetie."

"I can't see," I cried out. "Why can't I see you?" I could hear the beeping of the machine speed up and I realised that it was my pulse. "What's happening?"

"Bella," My dad said, grabbing my flailing arms and gently, but firmly, keeping them in his grasp. "Listen to me. Calm down. Just take nice and steady breaths and I'll explain everything, okay? Renee, get the nurse."

I did as he asked and it took a few minutes but eventually my breathing slowed down and I could feel my pulse decreasing as well – it was no longer pounding in my ears.

"Bella, you were in a car crash three weeks ago."

I gasped out. Of course, I already knew that I had crashed my car but three weeks?

"You hit your head pretty hard," Dad continued, "You've ben unconscious all that time because you've had a concussion. A bad one."

"But what does hitting my head have to do with me not being able to see?" I said. I could feel tears welling in my eyes and running down my cheeks. I felt my mom's soft hands wiping them away and laying another kiss upon my forehead.

"Bella, I've brought the nurse in okay? She's going to explain everything to you? Alright, baby?"

"Mom," I sobbed. "Why can't I see anything?"

"Bella, My name is Irina," a voice said, it was vaguely familiar. "Irina Denali. We went to school together. I'm one of the nurses who's been looking after you, Bella."

"Please, help me?" I pleaded. "I can't see."

"Bella, your dad told you that you had a concussion and that's right. But a side effect from having the concussion is that as well as becoming unconscious it can sometimes affect your vision. Now I think that's what's happened to you but I've paged your doctor, Dr Gerandy, and he's going to be here in a little bit, alright?"

I tried to process what she was telling me. "So it might come back?" I had no idea what would happen if my sight didn't return. How was I meant to cope with this and live my life independently if I was blind?

"Dr Gerandy will give you a better idea, Bella. He'll be here very quickly, so just try to relax for a minute, okay? I know that's easier said than done but just try for me."

I took a deep breath and gripped my dad's hands tighter. "Can I sit up?"

"I'll raise your bed up a little bit," Irina said and I heard her shoes clicking on the floor as she walked down to the foot of the bed that I was lying on. The bed gave a tiny jolt and then the back began rising.

There was a knock at the door and I instinctively turned my head towards the noise.

"Hello, Isabella." A gruff voice said from, where I assumed, the door was. "My name is Dr Gerandy. I was hoping that it would be alright if I examined you and then I'll walk you through what's happening. Is that alright?"

"Is it alright if my parents stay?" I asked.

"Of course, I've gotten to know Renee and Charlie very well." I heard his footsteps draw closer and took a deep breath to prepare myself for what was to come. I had no idea what to expect.

"Is it alright if I touch your head?" he asked.

"Okay."

I could feel his presence moving closer to me and forced myself to open my eyes. Even if I couldn't actually see anything. I practically jumped up from the bed when I heard a loud snap echo through the air.

"What's that?" I asked in a panic, my pulse picked up once again. A quiet beep came from the machine beside me and then quietened down. Someone must have pushed the button to silence my racing heartbeat.

"It's just my gloves, Isabella," Dr Gerandy said. "I'm sorry to startle you. I'm going to begin my examination, alright?"

A few minutes later, after my tender head had been poked at and it had been established that I definitely couldn't see anything, the doctor began explaining what was going on.

"So," I said, making sure that I had understood correctly. "I will get my sight back?"

"That's difficult to answer. You see when vision loss occurs after a concussion, it usually corrects itself within a few hours or days. Sometimes it can take a few weeks to come back and then sometimes it's lost altogether," He paused. "I'm afraid it's just a waiting game right now until we found out if your sight will return."

"How long until I know it's definitely not coming back?"

"I'm sorry, Isabella, but I don't know. We've been routinely monitor your brain for signs of injury or swelling but the swelling that was their when you were first admitted is gone now. Now, for the past few days, you've been drifting in and out of consciousness and now that you are fully awake I've full confidence that you will recover in no time."

I heard my parents sigh in relief. "What do we do in the mean time?" My dad asked.

"I've called in a specialist from Seattle to read over your notes but as far as I can tell for now, your sight will return. We just have to give your body time to fully heal. I'll arrange for you to have occupational therapy to help you get used to moving around without your vision and for a counsellor to help you adjust to this."

"Do I have to see a counsellor?" I asked. No matter how messed up I was, I didn't want to sit down and bare my soul to a shrink.

"I'm afraid you do, Isabella. It's not just your body that needs to adapt to this change."

And that was that. Over the next few weeks, I regularly met with Dr Gerandy for update and more tests; I met with Riley the occupational therapist to learn how to get around when I couldn't see and I met with Mike to "help me" cope with my new found disability.

"My name is Emmett McCarty," The loud voice – Emmett - said, calling this little get together to attention. "I've met some of you before and for the other's it's nice to meet you."

I could hear chairs scraping along the floor and guessed that there were a few more people at this gathering than Irina had let on. Since I woke up, I haven't really been great with crowds and a lot of people. We would be having words later.

"Everyone have a seat," Emmett called. "And then we'll go round the circle and introduce ourselves. Why don't we start with you? Just tell us your name, age and, if you want to, why you're here."

"I'm not telling you anything," Someone said. "This is bullshit!"

"Alright, thanks for sharing, Tyler," Emmett said wryly. "Next?"

"Katie. I'm fifteen and I'd rather not say why I'm here."

"Okay, that's fine, Katie. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Phil," The man to my left said. "I'm 51."

There was silence for a few moments then. I felt a small tap on my right leg and realised with a jolt that they were waiting for me.

"Uh, I'm Bella," I mumbled. More silence. Oh shit! "I'm 21."

I did think about saying I'd been in a car accident and that I was here because the hospital and my parents didn't think I was coping well with my new found blindness, but in the end didn't.

"My Name's Edward, I'm 24 and I'm here because… well, you can kinda see that for yourself."

I snorted.

Oops! The room went silent for a few beats before the next person continued on.

Ugh! Great going, Bella. Not even here for ten minutes before practically insulting the one person who's spoke to you. I made a mental note to apologise to Edward after.

"Thanks everyone." Emmett said. "So I thought that since this is the first meeting that we'd start with something simple. I want you to partner up with the person next to you and then tell them two things about yourself. Make one the truth and one a lie. Whoever guesses right wins a treat!" There was chatter for a couple seconds before "Tyler, don't even think about it. You're with me."

"Partners?" Edward asked. Well this was awkward? Was he talking to me?

When I didn't answer he asked again.

"Me?" I squeaked in a small voice. I figured if I asked quietly and he wasn't talking to me then he probably wouldn't here over the chatter.

"Yeah, you," He laughed. "So, partners?"

"Okay. You start."

He laughed again. I liked his laugh - it was warm and hearty… Comforting.

"Let's see," He paused and made an hmm sound. "Okay, got it. I once rescued a puppy from being eaten in Mexico and one time I gave my little sister a bowl cut."

"Umm, okay" I snorted. "Those were random. I'm gonna go with the puppy as the lie."

"Yup. You're right."

"My turn?" Geez, this was hard. "I can speak French and I love cooking."

"Cooking?" He guessed. Wrong.

"Nope, I do love cooking."

"Cool. What do you like making?"

"All kinds of things." I said. "I usually just go the fridge and see what I've got before deciding."

Which I couldn't really do anymore. Great, way to bum yourself out, Bella. Which reminds me.

"Hey, I'm sorry about earlier."

"For what?" Edward asked.

"You know when you were introducing yourself, I didn't mean to be rude."

"0h. it's okay. What did I say that was so amusing though?"

"It was stupid." I mumbled, feeling even more ridiculous for bringing it up. "Just when you said that we could see for ourselves why you're here. Not that it's any of my business! I mean, I didn't even say my reason and you did. That's brave, you should…"

"Bella," He interrupted, stopping my rambling. "It's okay, slow down."

"Sorry."

"It's not a big deal. Not like I'm hiding the fact that I'm in a wheelchair."

What? "You're in a wheelchair?"

"What you think they just ran out of chairs in here?" He laughed.

"Umm, no," I sighed. I guess he hadn't noticed earlier then. I'm not sure how he missed it though. It's not like I would be wearing my sunglasses inside for no reason. "I didn't notice."

"Sure, Bella." He mocked. "Of course you didn't."

I frowned, unsure how to deal with this. Most people that I came across these days already knew that I was blind. I hadn't had to tell anyone before.

"I'm blind." I stated. There, that was easy. Simple, straightforward and to the point.

"Oh."

I waited to see what else he would say. Would be laugh? Probably not. If Edward was in a wheelchair then he would probably be more accepting of my disability. Maybe. Please don't laugh?

"I'm sorry, Bella. I didn't realise." I felt his hand touch my arm and jumped at the spark. What was that?

"Uh, it's okay..."

"We all finished?" Emmett called out. I heard a chair scrapping back "Great. Well that's us done for the day, this was just a short meet and greet with each other. We'll meet back on Monday for a longer meeting. If you guys want to talk to me about anything, I'll hand around for a few minutes after everyone leaves."

I felt a tap on my shoulder. "Hey Bella, ready to go?" Irena.

"Yup." I said, beginning to stand. "Uh, it was nice meeting you, Edward."

"You too, Bella." I felt him grasp my hand and squeezed gently. "I'll see you around."

 **A/N: Thanks for reading :]**


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